LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social network built around work and careers. Reid Hoffman and a group of co-founders launched it in 2003 from Hoffman's living room in California. Microsoft bought it in 2016 for about 26 billion dollars.

Members create profiles that work like online resumes. They connect with colleagues, follow companies, read posts and apply for jobs. Recruiters pay for search and messaging tools through LinkedIn Talent Solutions. Companies use the platform to post openings and to advertise to professionals.

Other products include LinkedIn Learning, a library of video courses that came from the 2015 purchase of Lynda.com, and Sales Navigator for sales teams. A premium subscription adds more search and messaging features. LinkedIn is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and runs as a subsidiary of Microsoft. Ryan Roslansky leads the company as chief executive and also oversees Microsoft Office. The platform is available in a large number of languages. LinkedIn has been fined for data protection breaches in the European Union.